Feed reel



S p 1951 L; JVERSEN ET AL FEED REEL.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 14, 1947 P 1951 L. IVERSEN ET AL. 2,567,670

FEED REEL Filed June 14, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l N VE N TO R S L 0/19/72 Wersen and Franz J Wa/osc/zufz Patented Sept. 11, 1951 FEED REEL Lorenz Iversen, Pittsburgh, and Franz J. Waldschutz, Mount Lebanon, Pa., assignors to Mesta Machine Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 14, 1947, Serial No. 754,682

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to feed reels of the sort used inthe processing of metal strip.

In simplest terms a, feed reel of the sort generally employed in the steel industry consists of a pair of oppositely disposed reel heads which may be moved toward and away from one another so as to engage and support a coil of metal between them, the rotation of the heads being controlled, as, for example, by electric motors or by brakes.

The heads are usually each provided with a central boss or projection which enters the eye of the coil so as to round it out and also to provide adequate support. The reel heads are generally designed to have a substantial longitudinal movement so that the eye-engaging projection can be of adequate length and also to accommodate coils of different widths.

It is generally desirable to have the reel heads interconnected for equal and opposite movement, thus properly positioning the coils relatively to the equipment to which the strip is intended to be fed. Both mechanical and hydraulic interconnections have been proposed but none of them has completely met the need. Mechanical interconnections of the screw-thread type, having a lead screw with threads of opposite hand making a driving engagement with the mounts for the two heads, provide a positive drive and insure equal and opposite movement, but are generally too slow. Another scheme, has been to attach a. rack bar to each of the reel head supports and to mesh each rack with a common pinion rotatable on a fixed axis. This arrangement permits of rapid movement but it. suffers a defect in common with the screw type in that adjustment of both heads in the same direction so as to shift the mid-point between the heads is impossible without the use of supplemental mechanism. This lateral shifting is oftentimes important.

Hydraulic mechanisms heretofore employed also have their serious limitations. If the two heads are not mechanically interconnected, there is a constant danger that the coil will not beaccurately located, and if they are mechanically interconnected, the apparatus suffers from lim-' ltations in respect of lateral adjustment above present preferred embodiment of our invention,

Fig. 1 is a front view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a feed reel; and

Fig. 2 is a view, largely diagrammatic, showing the actuating and control system.

The feed reel shown in Fig. 1 comprises a pair of oppositely disposed reel heads 2 and 3, each having a projection 4 for entering the eye of a coil of steel strip. The heads 2 and 3 are supported by mounts 5, which mounts are slidable toward and away from one another in guides 6 formed in a base member I. A saddle 8 on the rim '9 of a hydraulic lift I0 serves to elevate the coils between the separated heads 2 and 3 so that they may be brought together to engage andsupport the coils. Each of the mounts 5 carries an electric motor ll connected through gearing [2 to an arbor 13 on which the reel head is mounted. Each arbor is supported by bearings M which provide for both radial and axial load.

The mechanism so far described is generally old, but has been described here to illustrate one use of our invention.

The base 1 carries two fluid cylinders l5 and I6. Each cylinder 'is provided with a piston H, a piston rod l8, and a packing gland 19. head 20 is secured to the outer end of each piston rod l8 and is held between forks 2| by machine screws 22. The forks 2| extend downwardly from the bottoms of the mounts 5 and provide a driving connection between the piston rods l8 and the mounts for the reel heads 2 and 3.

It will be noted that the cylinders I5 and [6 are similarly positioned, that is to say, their head ends, as viewed in Fig. 1, are both to the left, and their rod ends are both to the right. Be-

cause of this arrangement, outward movement of the rod for the cylinder l5 and inward movement of the rod for the cylinder l6 must be effected to move the heads toward the mid-point M, While inward movement of the rod for the cylinder l5 and outward movement of the rod' for the cylinder I6 is necessary in order to move the heads away from the mid-point.

Referring now to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the rod end of the cylinder I5 is connected by a conduit 23 to the rod end of the cylinder I6. This conduit and the space in the rod ends of the cylinders is filled with oil. In the drawings the heads are shown in the position nearest to one another, and in consequence the rod of the cylinder I5 is fully extended and the rod of the cylinder I6 is fully retracted. If now the piston in the cylinder I6 is forced to the right by the application of fluid under pressure to the head end 3 of that cylinder, the oil in the rod end will be forced through the conduit 23 into the rod end of the cylinder l5, thus effecting a corresponding movement of the piston therein. In the particular embodiment shown, and as will usually be the case, the cylinders l5 and I6 and their rods I8 are of the same: diameter. In consequence,

any amount-of outward movement of the piston:

in the cylinder [6 will cause an equal inward movement of the piston in the cylinder 15, thus bringing about equal and opposite movements.

of the reel heads 2 and 3.

It is generally desirable to. use the same operating fluid both for the headrends' andztherod ends of the cylinder as this simplifies thecon struction and operation. Fig. 2 shows a sump 24 having an associated pump 25 for supplying oil under controlled pressure to a pipe 26. The pipe 26 leads to a four-way valve 21 having an operating handle 28. When the handle is in the position:. indicated at a, the port 29 of the. valvecormectsthepressure pipe 26 with apipe 30 leading to the head-end of the cylinder 16. The other port: 3] of'the four-way valve provides a connection in the position shown between a pipe 32. communicatingwith the-head end of the cylinder l5 andganr exhaust pipe 33 leading to thesump 24.

With-the valve in this position .oil under pressure will-flow from the pump 25 through the pipe 2 6, port: 29- and pipe 36 to the head end of the cylinder [6; causing, outward movement of its piston. Oil in the rod end will be forced through the pipe. 23 into the rod end of the cylinder [5 and the oil in the head end will be displaced through the pipe 32, port,3l and pipe 33 to the sump 24.

If thevalve handle 23 be thrown to the position lathe port 29 will connect the pressurepipe 2'6 withthe pipe 32 and thus permit oil under pressure'to'fiow into the head end of the cylinder [5. The same movement of the valve willbring the port-3| into communication with the pipes 3.0 and 33. The oil in the head end of the cylinder will cause outward movement of its piston and oil in the rod end will be displaced through the pipe23 to the-rod end-of the cylinder 16, thus causing inwardmovement of its piston, oil in the-head end of thecylinder 16 being displaced;

to .the. sump 24'.

It willthus be seen that movement of the.

valve handle 2 8 to position a will cause. the heads to move away from one another and movement,

of the handle to position b will cause them to move toward one another. The movement of the two heads is equal and opposite. may-be locked in any desired position by positioning the valve handle 28 at position .0, mid-way between positions a and b, in which position all of the valve ports are shut off.

If it becomes necessary to effect an independent adjusting movement of one head, this may be readily accomplished by the manipulation of supplemental valves 34, 35 and 35. The valve 34 is normally open and the valves 35 and 36 are normally closed. Assuming the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2, the valve 34 may beclosd and the valve 36 opened slightly so as to bleed oilout of the rod end of the cylinder 16 until.

the proper adjustment has been effected. If the valve '36 be then closed and the valve 34 opened, the four-way valve may be actuated as above described, with the result thatequal and opposite movement of the heads will result as before, save that the location of the mid-point M will have been shifted to the right.

The heads.

If an adjustment in the opposite direction is desired, the four-way valve will be thrown to position b, the valve 34 will be closed and high pressure oil will be bled into the rod end of the cylinder [6 by manipulation of the valve 35.

We have shown a simple form of four-way valve, but it will be understood thatmagnetically operated valves may beempl'oyed for ease of operation and convenient location of the controls, the essential principle, however, remaining the same.

Our invention has many practical advantages. Theheads may be. rapidly and accurately moved. Theamount of movement of the two heads does not: change with differences in frictional resistanceto the sliding of the two mounts, the confined liquid in. the. pipe 23 and the rod ends of the cylinders compelling precise equality of movement: in the two heads, save as independent adjustment may be made by the auxiliary valves. Bhese auxiliary valves. may, be readily manipulated whenever: it becomes desirable to make a lateral adjustment. The apparatus involves a minimum. ofmoving parts.

We have. illustrated and described a present. preferred embodiment of the invention, but it willibe understood thatthis'is byway of example only. and that. the invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following, claims.

We. claim:

1. A.feed..reel comprisingapair of oppositely disposed reel heads adapted. to. engage the opposite sides of'a coil of strip, a pair of mounts. on which the respective. reelheads are supported'io'r rotation about'extensions ofthe same axis,. a base'supporting the mounts for movement toward andfrom each other parallel to said'axis, a first.fluid"cylinder having a double-acting piston therein connectedto one mount and a secondfiuid'cylinder having a double-acting piston thereinconneoted" to thexoth'er'mount', said pistons being-of equal area andmovab'le 'in' the cylindersparallelto said axis; a conduit connecting one end-of one fluid cylinder with the correspond-' ing'end of the-otherfluid-cylinder sothat dis-- placement of :liquidcausedby movement'of'one' piston causes an" equa'l-movement of the other pistonin the same direction, and means con--- nected to the other end i of. each cylinder to supply flu-idiunder pressure alternately to. one of said 1 other ends while permitting fluid to exhaust. from the other of =said' oth'er ends, whereby operation of: said means moves'theoreel heads parallel..to;.theirr-. axisibfi rotation in constant pre: determined spaced relation.

2.- Aafeed reellcomprising; a pair of oppositely-disposed'reel-heads adapted toengage the opposite. sidesof a coi1 of strip,.a pair-of mounts. on .whichtthe :respective reel heads are supported. for rotationa-boutextensions of the same. axis, a': base-supporting the mounts .for movement-toward and fromeach other parallel to saidaxis, a firstfl'uidcylinder havingra. double-acting piston therein connected toione. mount and a second fluid cylinder having a double-acting piston therein.connected.to-the other mount, said pistons beingot. equalareaandlmovable in the cylinders. parallelto said axis, a conduit connecting one end ;of, one. fluid. cylinder with the. corresponding endof the other fiuid cylinder so that displaceznentof liquid caused by, movement of one piss ton causes an equal movement of the other piston in the same direction, means connected to" the other end of each cylinder to supply fluid under pressure alternately to one of said other ends while permitting fluid to exhaust from the other of said other ends, and a valve in said conduit operable to change the total amount of liquid in the cylinder ends connected to the conduit, whereby operation of said means moves the reel heads parallel to their axis of rotation while the valve controls the spacing between the reel heads.

3. A feed reel comprising a pair of oppositely disposed reel heads adapted to engage the opposite sides of a coil of strip, a pair of mounts on which the respective reel heads are supported for rotation about extensions of the same axis, a base supporting the mounts for movement toward and from each other parallel to said axis, a first fluid cylinder having a double-acting piston therein connected to one mount and a second fluid cylinder having a double-acting piston therein connected to the other mount, said pistons being of equal area and movable in the cylinders parallel to said axis, a conduit connecting one end of one fluid cylinder with the corresponding end of the other fluid cylinder so that displacement of liquid caused by movement of one piston causes an equal movement of the other piston in the same direction, a pump, conduits connecting the pump to the other end of each cylinder, a valve connected to the latter conduits and having an exhaust port whereby the pump is alternately connected to one of said other cylinder ends while the other exhausts through said valve exhaust port, thereby moving both reel heads axially in the same direction, a valve interposed in the first-mentioned conduit to control flow of liquid between the interconnected cylinder ends for locking the reel heads in fixed position axially, a valve connected to exhaust liquid from said first-mentioned conduit for increasing the relative spacing of the reel heads, and a conduit connecting the pump to the firstmentioned conduit with a valve controlling the flow of liquid from the pump into the first-mentioned conduit for decreasing the spacing between the reel heads.

LORENZ IVERSEN.

FRANZ J. WALDSCI-IUTZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,024,252 Romaine et a1. Dec. 17, 1935 2,047,034 Roehm et a1. July 7, 1936 2,112,466 Maloon Mar. 29, 1938 2,160,596 Le Bleu May 30, 1939 2,177,577 Mikaelson Oct. 24, 1939 2,250,025 Klein July 22, 1941 

